Chapter 185: BACK TO THE ESTATE
Keisha’s POV
Klein waited until I had wiped my face before speaking again. "You shouldn’t go back to that estate thinking you’re completely alone. That’s why I called you here to see me."
I looked at him. "Yeah, I know. I’m not alone."
He sighed. "I know you have Callum and Dane. I’m talking about everyone else around you." He reached into his coat and pulled out his phone. "I’ve already stationed a few men around the estate. They won’t interfere with the people protecting you, and they won’t approach you unless there’s an emergency. Their job is to watch the perimeter and make sure nobody gets close without being noticed."
I stared at him. "You put men around the estate without telling me?"
His expression faltered for a second. "I wasn’t going to wait for your permission while someone is actively trying to kill you."
I couldn’t argue with that. "I suppose I should thank you."
"You should. They’re good at what they do."
I gave him a small smile. "I’ll keep that in mind."
"There is something else." He hesitated, then looked at the folder. "I spoke to Lyra."
My expression changed immediately. "You spoke to her?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"When?"
"Recently. I wanted to make sure she knew I was back before I contacted you directly." He told me.
"What did she say?"
Klein gave me an almost amused look. "She told me not to give the documents to you."
I blinked. "What?"
"She wants me to hand everything over to her instead." He said casually.
I stared at him in disbelief. "That’s very Lyra."
"I figured." He laughed slightly.
"Did she explain why?" I raised a brow.
"She said she’d make sure everything reached you safely."
I laughed softly. "She’s probably already planning how to interrogate you when she gets the chance." I closed the folder carefully. "I’ll tell her she doesn’t need to worry."
"You should also tell her I’m not disappearing again." He suddenly said.
There was something about the way he said it that made me look at him. "You really mean that?"
"I do." He paused before adding, "I’ll keep in contact with you. If anything happens, you call me. Don’t wait for another letter."
"I will."
His eyes dropped toward my stomach. "And you need to be careful with yourself."
I instinctively placed a hand over my belly. "I’m being careful."
"I hope so. You’re carrying two."
Oh? I looked at him and he smiled slightly. "Two little ones who already seem to have caused enough trouble."
I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know that?"
He laughed. "Keisha, I’ve been watching the situation around you for a long time. I know more than I probably should."
I studied him for a moment. "And the bond?"
His expression changed slightly. "I know about that too."
I didn’t ask how. After everything he’d just told me, it wasn’t difficult to imagine that he had people watching the estate and gathering information. Besides, there were already things happening around me that even Callum didn’t fully understand.
"I’ll be careful," I repeated.
"Good."
We eventually finished talking, and Klein walked us back to his car. Nadia was waiting nearby, looking increasingly impatient.
"There you are," she said when she saw me. "I was starting to think your mysterious uncle had kidnapped you."
Klein smiled. "I’m not that dramatic."
I laughed as Klein opened the car door. "Come on. I’ll drive you both back."
Nadia got in first, and I followed. The ride back to the estate was quiet. I kept looking down at the folder in my lap, still struggling to accept everything I’d learned about my mother.
When we finally reached the estate entrance, Klein stopped the car. "Call me when you get inside."
"I will."
He looked at Nadia. "Take care of her."
Nadia nodded. "I will."
Klein drove away, and we barely had time to take a few steps before Rhett appeared.
His expression immediately relaxed when he saw us. "Thank goodness."
Nadia frowned. "What?"
He didn’t look too happy. "The Alpha has been waiting for you."
I glanced toward the estate. "How long?"
Rhett gave me a look. "Long enough."
I suddenly remembered Becca’s warning and the two-hour limit Nadia had given her. "Oh fuck."
Nadia groaned. "Don’t say it."
"You think Becca told him?" I hissed.
"I think Becca told everyone."
We started walking toward the mansion, with Rhett following behind us. Nadia was distracted by whatever she was saying when her foot caught on something uneven.
"Whoa—"
Rhett caught her around the waist before she could fall and his arm remained around her for a second longer than necessary.
I looked between them and Nadia noticed my expression. "Keisha." She scowled.
I smiled, looking away. "What?"
"Don’t."
"I didn’t say anything." I raised my hands. "Carry on."
"You don’t have to." She glared at me.
Rhett finally released her, and Nadia immediately stepped away, fixing her clothes as though nothing had happened. "I almost fell."
"Yes," I said innocently. "I saw."
Rhett cleared his throat and looked away, suddenly very interested in the path ahead.
We continued toward the mansion, but Nadia stayed quiet beside me.
The moment we stepped inside, I saw Callum. He was standing in the sitting room with his arms crossed, his attention fixed on the entrance.
Becca stood nearby, looking nervous and I didn’t need anyone to tell me what had happened.
Callum looked furious. His eyes moved from Nadia to me, then to Rhett. "Where were you?"
Nadia opened her mouth and Callum lifted a hand. "Don’t answer yet."
He walked toward us, and the closer he came, the more obvious his anger became. "You told Becca you’d be gone for an hour."
Nadia looked at me and I looked at her.
Oh fuck.
Callum’s expression hardened. "It has been considerably longer than an hour."
I swallowed and he stopped in front of us.
"Now," he said, his voice controlled but unmistakably angry, "I want to know where the hell both of you have been."